Council Summons Komodo National Park Authority over 1,000 Tourist Quota Controversy
The West Manggarai DPRD held a hearing (RDP) with the Komodo National Park Authority (BTNK). The meeting addressed the controversy over the 1,000 daily tourist visit quota to Komodo National Park, set to be implemented from 1 April 2026. The RDP was chaired by Ali Sehidun of Commission I and Warus Martinus of Commission III.
BTNK Head Hendrikus Rani Siga explained that the quota is annual, totalling 365,000 visitors per year. The man known as Hengki stated that this quota is then allocated at an average of 1,000 tourists per day.
According to Hengki, any unused quota falling short of 1,000 visits per day during the low season will be distributed proportionally during the peak season. During the peak season, he said, the quota could exceed 1,000 visits by adding the surplus from the low season.
“The remaining quotas are distributed across all months of the year proportionally, based on last year’s data on which periods are peak season and which are low season,” Hengki explained during the RDP with the West Manggarai DPRD on Wednesday (8/4/2026).
Regarding the peak season quota allocation, he continued, it is based on last season’s tourist visit data. For context, the highest daily visit during last year’s peak season was to Padar Island, reaching 1,755 tourists on 22 July 2025.
“We refer to last year, where we have the figures as well. We have data from last year’s peak season, so the approach is to distribute the remaining quota proportionally for the peak season,” Hengki clarified.
Hengki stated that implementing this quota is part of regulating the carrying capacity of Komodo National Park. It also aims to mitigate environmental impacts arising from tourism activities.
According to Hengki, regulating visitor quotas also seeks to improve tourist comfort. He assessed that tourists would feel uncomfortable if visits to the national park became overcrowded.
It is known that the implementation of the 1,000 daily tourist quota to Komodo National Park has faced rejection from several tourism operators in Labuan Bajo. Even some tourism operators have daringly brought tourists to Komodo National Park despite the quota being exhausted.